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Race-Day Tips To Make It From Start To Finish!

By Christine Hinton | Apr. 10, 2015

Photo: Ryan Bethke

Whether you’re prepping for a 5K or gearing up for a 13.1-miler this weekend (good luck, by the way!), take heed of these tips to get you from your bed to the start line, to the middle miles, and across the finish line successfully.

1. Take the guesswork out of race morning. Lay out everything the night before.

2. Don’t try anything new on race day, from breakfast to clothing. Stick to your routine.

3. Eat a highly digestible breakfast a couple hours before the start. Something like toast and jam, a banana or a bagel with a little peanut butter.

4. Arrive about an hour early. This allows time for parking, number pickup and potty time without stress.

5. Warm up about 30 minutes before the race. For a 5K, you can spend 10 to 15 minutes walking and/or easy jogging. For a half, walk and jog for 5 to 10 minutes. (The shorter the race, the longer the warm-up can be.)

6. Sip water as you wait for the start. During a 5K, unless it’s super hot, you can skip water on the course. Drink up afterward. For a half, take in water as needed, carry a gel or other sports fuel to take every 45 minutes.